Cover Image: At the End of Everything

At the End of Everything

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

At the End of Everything by Marieke Nijkamp was such a thrilling story! I was on the edge of my seat the entire team reading it, so good!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to the publisher for the advance reader copy of this novel. I do love most apocalyptic novels but perhaps this one is a bit too early after/during covid for me. The ending was the best part in my opinion - I really felt the character arcs were well developed by then. I liked this book but I’m interested in the author’s next novel. I think she has a good voice and insight into struggling teens.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire and Marieke Nijkamp, for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

At The End of Everything is an apocalyptic survival story about a group of teens stuck in a detention center when the plague hits. It is not a thriller but more of a survival story of what happens when 25 teens are left to fend for themselves after being abandoned by staff. While it is not action packed, there is a wonderful story here of friendship, sisterhood, and making do with what you have.

The main characters in the story are Logan, Emerson, and Grace. Logan, is mute and somewhat autistic and depends on her sister, Leah, to help her along. Sadly, Leah is one of the first to get sick and Logan's story is definitely what makes this book so amazing. Grace is the one that takes control when they first realize they have been left behind. She leads, organizes, and brings everyone together, even when there is seemingly no hope at all. Emerson has just arrived at the facility and is already being bullied, as she is non-binary. Her growth throughout this novel is also what deems this book so incredible.

There are so many wonderful things about this book and I really enjoyed reading it. I was rooting for all characters to survive, but realistically, that was not to be. The character development was honest, and I especially liked the phone call transcripts. The entire book feels like true, especially given our situation now.

Was this review helpful?

I'm not going to post this on my IG. I started reading the book and found it pretty disturbing because of the
child abuse. I just couldn't read it. I tried a couple of time but I think the pandemic is making me less tolerant of
sad stuff. I know. Pathetic. But there it is.

Was this review helpful?

I wanted to love it, but it just wasn't what I expected. First off, I'm so happy to see a book written that hits close to home right now. Unfortunately, the writing had some flaws. The multiple POVs made it hard to connect with the characters, which is so important in this genre. I also felt like the opening fell flat and didn't really make me want to keep reading. It was a quick read with lots of potential.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

// Content warnings: death, disease, guns, violence // – I am unable to provide a full list of content warnings since I did not finish reading this novel.

// Quick Statistics //

Overall: 2/5 Stars

Plot: 1/5 Stars

Setting: 2/5 Stars

Characters: 1/5 Stars

Writing: 4/5 Stars

Memorability: 1/5 Stars

// Quick Review //

While I wish I could say that this novel lived up to my expectations, but I unfortunately cannot. Just like This Is Where It Ends, the novel falls short on its diversity, plot, and realness. I ended up not finishing the novel after being stuck at 55% for a long time.

// Other Information //

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Page Count: 320 pages

Release Date: January 25, 2022

Series: None

Genre: Fiction, Young adult, Science fiction, Suspense, Contemporary, LGBTQ+

// Book Description (via Goodreads) //

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of This Is Where It Ends comes another heartbreaking, emotional and timely page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The Hope Juvenile Treatment Center is ironically named. No one has hope for the delinquent teenagers who have been exiled there; the world barely acknowledges that they exist.

Then the guards at Hope start acting strange. And one day…they don’t show up. But when the teens band together to make a break from the facility, they encounter soldiers outside the gates. There’s a rapidly spreading infectious disease outside, and no one can leave their houses or travel without a permit. Which means that they’re stuck at Hope. And this time, no one is watching out for them at all.

As supplies quickly dwindle and a deadly plague tears through their ranks, the group has to decide whom among them they can trust and figure out how they can survive in a world that has never wanted them in the first place.

// Characters //

The novel is split between the POV’s of three characters: Logan, Grace, and Emerson. Logan is the sister of Leah, and both of them are living at Hope Juvenile Treatment Center, a place for troubled teens. Emerson is a non-binary teen also at this center. And Grace? I honestly forget who she is as a character.

This is a major issue with the novel: most if not all the characters are flat, unrealistic, and tokenized. So are their relationships. If This Is Where It Ends was performative, At The End of Everything was even more so.

The first chapter is pretty much dedicated to going through all of the characters at Hope and naming off their gender, sexuality, and race. During the first chapter I could already tell that the characters would be sloppily represented. This seems to be an issue I have with Nijkamp’s novels: the sloppy representation.

But besides the characters’ identities, I didn’t relate to or become attached to any of them. They were all flat and unrealistic, making it hard to sympathize with them in their hardships.

// Writing and Setting //

This novel is split between 3 POV’s: Grace, Emerson, and Logan. The writing is descriptive but basic.

The novel takes place in a world where a mutation of the Black Plague is ravaging the world. It seems as if this situation was meant to reflect but be a more dramatized version of our world today and the pandemic. The setting was decent but left me unsatisfied and not thrilled. For a suspense novel there was hardly any tension.

The main characters are troubled teenagers who have been sent to Hope Juvenile Treatment Center, a place that (not surprisingly) is not really treatment oriented.

// Plot //

After an unusual day at Hope, the guards abandon the kids without a mention of why. The kids ‘escape’ and come in contact with a blockade at the entrance of the nearest town, preventing them from truly escaping their nicely named prison. They discover that the world is currently at the mercy of a black plague mutation.

At the plague begins to infect those within Hope, the kids must band together to take care of one another and live.

I cannot speak for the second half of the novel, as I DNFed at 55%, but the first half of the novel was slow-moving, not compelling, and chaotic. There was so much going on, yet I felt as if the story dragged. And a lot of the story was pointless in terms of the kids’ survivals.

// Overall Review //

I gave this novel two stars because it has promise, but it was just not for me. With lazy diversity, chaotic yet slow story-lines, and flat characters, I couldn’t continue reading this novel past 55%.

Was this review helpful?

The young people at Hope Juvwnike Treatment Center have been left to fend for themselves, the guards, therapists and warden have walked out. They don’t know why until they learn of the plague that has begun to ravage the country and has left them to fend for themselves. They lose friends to the sickness but they also find a family, support and ultimately a home with each other as they are forced to find their way to survival. I really enjoyed this book and hope that generations to come read it and see what strength in times of hardship looks like, it isn’t individuals alone but people coming together and supporting one another.

Was this review helpful?

I'll admit, I didn't fully enjoy Nijkamp's "Even if We Break", and so I was hesitant going into this. Hesitant further by the multiple POV this book provides, similar to the previously mentioned book. Yet, Nijkamp has done an amazing job of writing these varying characters during such a drastic and emotional time. Reading a book about a plague during an ongoing pandemic is emotionally jarring, and some of the responses from adults felt pulled out of my own conversations with conservative family members. While a bit slow, the emotional hold this book had on me made it worth it.

This book is painful and emotional. Its pacing is heavy, and the characters' issues give almost everyone something to connect to. The teens are the forgotten and the lost, and they're fighting to survive- and their right to deserve that. It's an interesting tale, in a prominent time.

Was this review helpful?

A well paced adventure/spooky story set in the world of a devastating pandemic (Sound familiar!) As much as the story was well structured, I struggled to engage with the main protagonist on an empathetic level.

Was this review helpful?

I really struggled with the rating on this one. I went back and forth between a 3 and 4, finally ending on a 3. The big idea behind this book is excellent. It is a story exposing the corruption in the prison system of the USA and the political division that is continuing to hurt the underprivileged and marginalized in our country. It also is a great testament to the struggles of LGBTQIA+ youth - especially those who are nonbinary. The issue I had was the lack of character backstory and development. Every character was very two dimensional. I also struggled with some of the dialogue being so direct and charged with making a political/social statement that it wasn't natural or conversational. Again, I loved the idea of this book but the execution is not quite there. I did really appreciate the author's note at the end and her passion for telling the story of those who are continually disenfranchised by society.

Was this review helpful?

Thank You Sourcebooks Fire for accepting this advance ebook for a honest review!😘
Thank You NetGalley for the opportunity to read this amazing novel!
And Marieke Nijkamp Thank You for writing such an amazing story!

I received this advance ebook.through email and I'm forever grateful I had the opportunity to read this amazing novel!
I've read This Is How It Ends and Even If We Break and freaking loved them both now this one was even better IMO! Now I have to get Before I Go!
Honestly this is why a freaking love YA/mystery even though this is mainly listed as a YA Science Fiction it still blew my damn socks off!

A few young teenagers are at a Juvenile Treatment Center called The Hope. Sadly no one has wanted these kids and basically they have been banished there!
One day the guards at the center start acting weird and suddenly they don't show up the next day for work leaving the doors unlocked!
They break out of this facility. But once outside they are faced with soldiers who attack them.
Sadly there is a fast spreading disease outbreak and no one can leave to go anywhere!
They decided the center is their only chance at survival.
Soon they start running out of essentials and this deadly wild virus rips through them.
This group has to decide who they can trust to try and beat this. And can they survive in this world where they were never wanted in the first place?!

The story is told by Emerson, Logan and Grace. Nijkamp did an awesome job writing these characters!.
You know you've found a damn good story when you wake up at 3am thinking about this book and slowly creep outta bed, make your way down the hall to the kitchen, make a pot of coffee, grab your Kindle and get comfortable on your couch and try to get as many chapters as you can in before adult hood starts calling and the kids start waking up!
The writing is phenomenal and had me hooked from get go!
This heartbreaking, emotional and timely page-turner will keep you on the edge of your seat.
I hate that this book is over! Wished it was like 800 pages long!

I can't thank y'all enough for this amazing chance to read such an awesome book!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book. I found the characters easy to relate to. I really liked that this book gives different characters their own chapters. You get their viewpoint and also get to know them a bit better. The fact that these children were minors in a state run facility, and just abandoned there really pulled at my heartstrings. Each character in this book is heroic in their own way. For me, the best part was watching these kids turn from enemies to family. I will definitely be recommending this book to friends in the future.

Was this review helpful?

I really liked this one. I got Breakout by Paul Heller vibes but in YA. i love end of the world books so this was right up my alley. Poor Grace tried so hard and I hated what happened to her! This isn't my first book by this author and it won't be the last. Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I found this book to be utterly heartbreaking while being an amazing portrait of human resiliency. After a plague has taken over, a group of teens who have resided in a residential treatment facility, have to band together to navigate the difficulties that follow. I found that having each character present their own perspective of what was happening, while also providing background information, that helped to explain why they acted in certain ways was brilliant. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys apocalyptic thrillers, but through the voices of teens with heartbreaking backgrounds. It was such an intimate portrayal of how we as humans, can band together to weather uncertain circumstances.

Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book.

Was this review helpful?

At The End of Everything is about an eerily familiar plague, although things get a lot worse in the book than they did in real life. The focus here is on a group of teenagers in a juvenile detention centre who are suddenly left to fend for themselves at the end of the World as we know it, and how they survive.

Everything about the book felt quite slow, despite how quickly everything was falling apart in it. It was quite difficult to engage with since I just wasn't being drawn in. I really wanted to love it, since the premise is brilliant, but I just wasn't hooked.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

The Quick Cut: A group of teens at a juvenile center find themselves fending for themselves when a plague outbreak happens across the globe.

A Real Review:
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for providing the ARC for an honest review.

We have been living in a pandemic for going on two years now. All the problems we used to have changed and now the conversation is more about variants & masks than parties & classes. Can you imagine going through all that without your family or own environment though? This is the case for Emerson and the teens left behind at the Hope Juvenile Treatment Center.

Although its name is so happy sounding, Hope Juvenile Treatment Center is anything but happy. Set in the wilderness of the Ozarks, the landscape of trees and mountain ranges houses a group of teens abandoned by their families and labeled as problematic. The kids here struggle with their problems and identities as is when they notice the adults there acting strangely. Then, soldiers appear to keep them from leaving and find out a plague has broken out. Can they survive on their own? Or will they get sick like everybody else?

Any other time other than during the corona pandemic, this book probably would've gotten a different rating. It's a smart story about surviving in an already difficult situation and learning what you are willing to do to make it to tomorrow. Unfortunately, this book is coming out with a story that rings a little too close to the current reality and just further points out how much the current reality sucks.

This book deals with a lot of difficult topics, like gender identity. We need more honest conversations like this. It needs to be out there that it's okay to struggle with who you are and what you stand for. That struggle is the only way to really figure out what you stand for and how strong you are. I would've just preferred that story to be a little bit more upbeat.

A plague outbreak book that's a little too realistic.

My rating: 3 out of 5

Was this review helpful?

This novel had great underlying messages and was very relevant to the times in which we are currently living. However, I wish I could have found more connection to the characters to really have the message mean something.

Was this review helpful?

I'm obsessed with everything Marieke Nijkamp writes.

At The End of Everything is set in the fictional Hope Juvenile Treatment Center, essentially a detention center for juvenile offenders. The government gets away with calling it a "treatment center" by having one therapist work with literally all the teens there. All the guards are concerned with is getting the teens to follow the rules, however ridiculous they may be.

This book is told through multiple characters' points of view. There's Grace, the girl who somehow got promoted from solitary confinement to leading the teens through a literal plague. There's Emerson, who feels like they just don't belong in this facility. Then there's Leah's nonverbal twin sister, Logan.

While all their story lines coincide, reading Logan's chapters were my favorite. Social cues are a critical necessity when interacting with someone nonverbal, which is why it's absolutely amazing to me that Marieke Nijkamp managed to portray Logan as such a spunky and charismatic character in this book.

Okay, so let's actually get into the plot of the book.

Most of the novel takes place within the confines of Hope Juvenile Treatment Center. Right away, Grace notices something weird is going down but she never expected all of the staff to disappear. The guards, the wardens, the therapists....gone. All these teens have been left alone, but why?

A group of them gather up the courage to leave the facility they've all lived in for months. During their trek for answers, they get stopped at a roadblock. The National Guard informs them of the virus/disease spreading rapidly all over the country. The Guard then gives them the chance to head back to the Hope Facility or be met with gunfire.

Realizing there's no help coming for them, the teens are left to fend for themselves. They have little skills, little food, and little hope of getting out of there alive.

Immense thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with an advanced copy of this book! At The End of Everything hits shelves on January 25, 2022!

Was this review helpful?

At Hope Juvenile Treatment Centre things are out of the ordinary. The staff is not paying attention and disappears one night. Some of the youth decide to leave Hope to see if they can figure out what is happening, or maybe even escape. When they reach the nearest town, they are however met with armed guards who inform them that there is a deadly worldwide plague and that they must return back to Hope, alone. This is their story of survival.

At the End of Everything is a YA novel that gave me The 100 vibes mixed with In Between (Netflix series), two shows I absolutely loved!

Told in multiple character POV's, which is my favourite, I quickly got absorbed into this book! The chapters are short and I found the pace moved well. I loved the character growth for my main favourites - Logan, Emerson and Grace ❤

Since I love thrillers I would have enjoyed it more if there were more suspenseful situations as it was an pretty calm story, given the situation.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcefire Books and Marieke Nijkamp for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

A group of teens in a privately run juvenile detention center get abandoned as a plague descends on the world. The group splinters: some deciding to take their chances on the road; some deciding to stay in hopes they can remain safe. This book focuses on those who stayed, and each chapter changes perspectives. Among those perspectives is reluctant leader Grace, who must make difficult decisions everyday to keep the others alive -- and keep them from turning on each other.

The concept of the book is interesting, though, for me, it was too soon to read about a pandemic when we're still in the midst of one. There was a lot that hit a little too close to home. But perhaps that increased my empathy for these characters -- just kids, misunderstood, and now abandoned. Their resilience, instincts, and willingness to make sacrifices for the greater good left me rooting for them.

There were certain parts of the book that felt a little unreal (when they had access to phones and internet, why didn't they post on social media about their plight?), and I wanted to see perspectives from a couple of other characters, especially Casey. I also was curious about the team that left the facility (though there is an update on them later in the book).

This is a dark, angsty book, but contains some nice, quiet moments of hope.

Was this review helpful?